


ゆっくり (Yukkuri) The Secret Pace of Fate

by Krambi003



Category: Finder no Hyouteki | Finder Series
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-25 21:53:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9847388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krambi003/pseuds/Krambi003
Summary: Takaba does his yearly pilgrimage to one of his most thrilling childhood memories, but is he the only one, who remembers this instant so many years after?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: The"nowadays events" are set some month after [Finder no Mitsuyaku](http://yamaneayano.com/books/ja/165) ^_~

ゆっくり (Yukkuri)

The Secret Pace of Fate

 

_Viewfinder_ and its characters © Yamane Ayano

 **Spoiler:** _Finder no Souen_ (included the [mini comic](http://www.mangago.me/read-manga/you_re_my_loveprize_in_viewfinder/mh/v08/c053.4/pg-1/) at the end: _The Demon of The Guardian Forest_ )

 **Characters:** Takaba Akihito; Asami Ryuichi; Kirishima Kei

 **Rating:** PG

 **Warning:** Unbeta'ed

 **Author's Note:** The "nowadays events" are set some month after _[Finder no Mitsuyaku](http://yamaneayano.com/books/ja/165)_ ^_~

 

 

 

¤¤¤¤¤

 

 

Here he was once again, standing close to the impressive temple in the late afternoon light. This at least had not changed since he first came here alone: the temple kept fascinating him with the beauty and strength that both equally radiated through each an every inch of its walls and its roof that still seemed to high for the 1,75m tall young man that he had become.

 

Because Kou and Takato had not dared to follow him here 20 years ago, only he had seen "the handsome sleeping guardian" and, each and every year since then, he has been coming here to offer some treats to the captivating creature that kept escaping his eagle eyes and his precious camera.

 

If his man were to know about what, or who, he was trying to take pictures of with the small camera he had given him on that incredible beach on their way back from Hong Kong, he would find him childish and have this irritating smirk on as well as his special half-condescending half-amused look in his piercing golden eyes. This is why, for the second time since they lived under the same roof, he had sneaked out of their new place that he liked so much better than the old condo they had first shared, and walked unnoticed to the quiet shrine for his yearly pilgrimage.

 

On his way to this cherished secret from his childhood, he had stopped at the combini only two streets away from the shrine and bought the usual packet of Pocky and, since Luck seemed to be back this year, the so funny little pink head shaped candy that he could not find in the store for the last two years. Fully aware of how childish it was to see this "return in the store" as a good omen for this year's pilgrimage, he still could not help his heart beating a bit faster and the rushing pulse of the blood in his veins.

 

His right hand holding firmly his small camera, ready to immortalize anything or anyone near the temple, he climbs the huge stairs slowly as to increase the pleasure of anticipation, enjoying greatly how all his senses were alert like a cat on a hunt of his favourite prey. In the left inner pocket of his jacket, the "Pocky-and-Pink-Head" special treat was waiting patiently, close to his heart, for the time of the strange ritual offering to come.

 

Passing quietly the right pillar of the temple, though the place is exactly like it has been every year since then: empty, this time his 25 years old heart aches as much as his 6 years old heart had, from the now usual disillusion. He had so foolishly hoped that this year would be different, only because of a pink head monster candy... With each passing year, he had realised all too well that the memories of the guardian's features were becoming as blurry as many of his childhood's memories and he was afraid he might not recognize him next year... that is if next year were to be the lucky year for his secret pilgrimage.

 

He was kind of angry at the 5 years old kid he had been back then that had run away so quickly, when the guardian had opened his sleepy eyes. Only the already automatic pressure of his forefinger on his camera had allowed a slightly blurry photo of a heraldry on a shirt to be his only tangible memory of this special encounter.

 

Would waiting a bit longer than usual help him in any way to get what he has been hoping for for so long? Would the guardian eventually come to this very place again if he were to stay here until the sun would set? After all, if he was the kind of guy to fall prey to despair so easily and give up, he would not have come here every year for so long. So, yeah, it was decided: he would wait for the guardian longer than usual!

 

He reverently places his "Pocky-and-Pink-Head" offering at the very same place than ever and goes to sit 20 inches away from it, checks the battery level of his camera and satisfied he scrutinizes the tall trees on his left, ready for whatever would come his way.

 

 

¤¤¤¤¤

 

 

_After a long and boring business meeting, he had asked his secretary to make a detour on their way back home. His boy would probably not be home yet anyway, and something one of meeting attendees had said this afternoon had awakened one of the rare strange but nice memories of his teens' time here._

 

_While he gets off the car, the stairs in front of him had seemed to be calling him. Unexpected but nonetheless welcome feeling in his chest. His 36 years old heart was now able to slightly reopen to such pleasant though childish sensations._

 

_The sun was close to set, when he had arrived near his former shelter in the quiet of this shrine protected from unwanted attention by the temple's pillars._

 

_For an instant, he thought that he might have dozed off in the car and was not really standing here in front of his usual nap spot from so long ago. A gentle breeze disheveled some strands of hair on his forehead, what confirmed him that he was truly here and that his now narrowed eyes were really seeing a packet of Pocky and what seemed like a red-flame shape candy box, where 19 years ago he had awakened to the silhouette of a kid running away and a packet of Pocky and what turned to be a strange pink head-monster candy box at his side, as if they were some kind of offering. To him? And why? He had never known for sure._

 

_Just like back then, his left hand had reached to the treats without his brain taking in what he was doing. He smiled for he knew someone, who valued Pocky as much as_ _(if not more than)_ _expensive and refined food, at least enough to consider they were suitable offering at a temple, but it could not be him, even if counting back the years, he came to the conclusion that the little boy running away and his precious boy were probably around the same age back then and both probably living in this area._

 

_So, it seemed that nowadays some kids were still leaving treats for teens, who were surely skipping classes for whatever reason. To think that life was repeating itself like this felt strange but somewhat reassuring at the same time: even when he had retired from the surface of this world, some things - and the innocent ones at that - had not changed. For someone like him, who only had had to experience the bitter part of life since so long, someone else had been able to enjoy the sweet part of it. It was surely what people called the eternal circle of life, where light needed darkness to shine and yin needed yang to make it whole._

 

_A sweet part of life had eventually come for him again a bit more than one year ago. He placed back the treats for the one they had been left here, for this time it could definitely not be him, and walked a bit faster than usual back to his car and his secretary that were still waiting for him down the now too long stairs, his phone in his right hand dialing his favourite number._

 

 

¤¤¤¤¤

 

 

A siimple note, where "I'll be back for dinner!" could be read, was all his boy had left on the table to make sure that he would not send his men after him right after noticing that he was not home. Though he felt the urge to call his boy to ask him where he was right now, he was still working on letting his lover breathe a little more than before because he had noticed how much the young man needed to feel free as much as any human being needs air to be able to live fully. And if it was important for his boy then it had to become important for him as well for he had chosen him to share his so unusual life.

 

Turning on the radio as he was sipping his black tea, he was not truly listenning to the report about Hokkaido that was airing right now, but among the humming of various sounds and quite boring sentences, the word shrine fell into his ears, ringing a bell in his mind. Wasn't it already one year ago, today? And could it be that the same offering were still brought there? Since he had the rest of the day free, he felt like going to check on his own.

 

 

***

 

 

Kirshima wondered why his boss felt the sudden urge to have the car waiting for him as soon as possible in front of his cozy estate, in which he and his lover had moved some months ago after his condo had been ruined by the nocturnal raid of "bastards in balaclava" as Suoh had called them. To hide like this had neither helped these cowards getting away safe and sound from there nor prevented the "special squad of Sion" to discover who was behind all this...

 

Kirishima holds the car door open and bows to his boss as he gets in the car giving him an unexpected destination to this unexpected ride. If he recalls well, and Kirishima knows that his memory works perfectly, just one year ago his boss had asked him to drive him to that very place after what had been a seemingly unending meeting with some business partners and one of their most recent "political recruit" as his boss liked to call this kind of easily-convinced-by-money politician. His one and only master was not the kind of man to go to temples, not even on New Year's day, so what could he be looking for in this shrine? Once again. But Kirishima knew better than ask his boss about it.

 

Just as he had last year, his boss had told him to wait here for him and had started to climb the stairs without a single look back. So, he was - once again - bound to wait near the car until he would finally return. At least, this late afternoon was sunny and cool: a rather enjoyable weather for this part of his job.

 

 

***

 

 

Though it is not exactly for the same reason than last year, he has once again trouble to believe his eyes and his 37 years old heart has skipped a beat, when he has recognized the slender silhouette sitting next to his former nap spot, where what definitely looks like a packet of Pocky and a pinkish something seem to be waiting for someone to find them. Again. If he were to dial his favourite number right now, would he hear the impossibly strange tune of his boy's phone fill the peaceful air of this shrine?

 

Of course, coincidences existed and what else than a coincidence could it be, but... But, who else but his boy could mistake a sleeping teenager with a sacred creature that deserves an offering? And who else but his boy could value Pocky to the point of thinking that it is an appropriate offering? And who else but his boy could still be at 25 chasing after a childhood's chimera?

 

He takes advantage that the young man focuses on the rustling of the wind in the branches on his left, as if expecting some kind of magical being to come out anytime soon, to walk closer to him. Unnoticed. Once he is only three feet away, he asks casually "Are you waiting for someone?"

 

The photographer instinct reacts first and a picture of the man walking toward him is already saved in his camera before his brain realizes who it is. His mouth open like a fish looking for air out of water, his inability to talk worsens as he hears the second sentence of the older male. "I had not seen those since I was a teen, and I still do not know for sure if they were - or should I say "are"? - for me or not."

 

A loud "It can"t be!!!" escapes finally his throat as if to be able to say something was a matter of life and death at that point.

 

A fake innocent "because I do not like sweet stuff?" is soon followed by a more cunning "That is not something a... let's say 5 years old boy could even imagine possible, right?"

 

His golden eyes look intently at the confused face of his lover. If all this was not pure coincidence then he would have his boy acknowledge him for whatever he had thought he was back then. He was no man to believe in fate or such foolish thoughts, so he would definitely never call that a fated encounter, but he knew that his boy would believe in it. And he also liked a lot that innocent side of him and was now in a hurry to witness it.

 

For him, it was clear now that the kid back then was his boy. To run away from him like that was still so typical of his lover anyway! To help the young man recall everything, he takes off his coat that he places inside out on his former nap spot, takes his suit jacket off as well and slowly lays down and pretends to be asleep.

 

After a few seconds, he feels trembling fingers map his face and soon his lover whispers "I can't believe you were my sleeping guardian of the forest..." But the silhouette in front of him that his eyes cannot stop looking at is now slowly overlaying on the quite as tall and quite as large lying shape of his childhood memory. And this sleeping face was quite a perfect match. The whole was as much of a perfect match as it was possible to be, if what he had met 20 years ago was no magical creature but a teenager, who had now turned into his 20 years older self.

 

The distinctive sound of the camera taking photos as if it was acting on his own has the older male opening his eyes. But this time, the boy close to him does not run away from him, no. Instead, he picks up the "Pocky-and-Pink-Head" offering and places it with caution in the large palm as he softly says "Yes, they were for you, Asami... and still are today."

 

Seeing how moved his boy is, Asami cannot refrain a tender smile as he replies "I guess it is more than time to thank you for this, unless you plan on running away today as well." Asami reaches for his lover's neck with his free hand and presses him against his chest. Takaba could swear that he heard a barely audible "Thank you, my cute Akihito" whispered in his hair right before his man kissed it.

 

 

***

 

 

The sky starts to redden and the two men remain quiet in the arms of one another. Cradled in the familiar strong embrace, Akihito takes his time to think about what he has discovered today; knowing that Asami will not move a muscle for a while, as if he was as well giving some thinking to this revelation for it is not possible that he would have known before today that he was the kid, who had left him the snacks as offering twenty years ago.

 

Even if he could not explain exactly why, Takaba was somewhat relieved that his first encounter with Asami was not the horrible one of two years ago. It surely made no sense for anyone but him, but he was glad about that and he lets out a huge sigh of relief soon followed by a short laugh of contentment. He then lifts his eyes to the interrogative face of his lover and happily states "I'm glad I finally got good pictures of my sleeping guardian. It sure took me a while!!"

 

One of Aki's disarming bright smile comes as a final punctuation to his exclamation and, as usual, Asami cannot resist and he leans on his precious boy's face, whispers "time to thank you properly" then kisses passionately his Akihito.

 

 

***

 

 

Some pieces of the puzzle of what he thought had been another life had just fallen into place thanks to Takaba, proving him that despite the long years spent alone in the darkness, the few sweet moments he had experienced at that time of his teens could resonate with the sweet moments he was able to enjoy since his Akihito came to his life (no, came back! to his life) for like everyone else in this world he had been given just one and only life to live, with good and bad times that are not always divided equally in everyone's years.

 

Back then, to save a friend's life, he had chosen to descend to the deepest layers of Hell. But, even if he had then given up on light, light had never given up on his life and had eventually found a way back to him 18 years later. If people were to know about all this, they would surely say that Aki is his fate, but Asami knows that Akihito is his share of light. And he plans on managing to keep on walking on the dark side while still holding close his precious light and never allow it to die. For fate is just a word for dreamers while his life is what he decides to make of his years on Earth. And 2 years ago, he had decided to spend as many years on Earth as possible with his Akihito, be it in their new home or just like this, his back on the cold floor in front of a temple making new memories with his sweet lover.

 

 

The End

 

_-_-_-_

ゆっくり (Yukkuri) meaning: see [here](http://thejadednetwork.com/sfx/browse/yukkuri/) and/or [here](https://nihongohub.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/5-really-useful-japanese-onomatopoei/)


End file.
